featuring @maddieziegler
Leah McKendrick is adding another exciting project to her growing slate, with the filmmaker set to write, direct, star in and executive produce the upcoming thriller Delulu. Joining her in the film is Pretty Lethal and West Side Story star Maddie Ziegler.
The project comes from XYZ Films, known for Havoc, and Temple Hill, the production company behind Off Campus and the Twilight franchise.
Described as a “bloody showdown about fame, envy and the strange intimacy of girlhood,” Delulu will see McKendrick portray a washed-up millennial pop singer who kidnaps a rising Gen Z influencer, played by Ziegler. Her demand is as disturbing as it is outrageous: the young influencer must help her reach one million followers within two weeks, or face death.
The announcement comes following the success of McKendrick’s latest film, Voicemails For Isabelle, which premiered on Netflix this summer. Starring Zoey Deutch, Nick Robinson and McKendrick, the romantic comedy became the platform’s best-performing rom-com in five years. The film remained in Netflix’s global Top 5 for seven weeks and earned an impressive 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
McKendrick previously wrote, directed and starred in Scrambled, which premiered at SXSW before receiving a theatrical release through Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions. Her upcoming projects also include a monster film with Blumhouse Atomic and Focus Features, as well as Columbia Pictures’ biographical film about country music superstar Shania Twain.
Production on Delulu is expected to begin in 2027. Speaking about the project and her excitement to work with Ziegler, McKendrick shared her admiration for the actress, who first rose to fame on Dance Moms before establishing herself as a talented performer across film, television and music.
“I have been a die-hard fan of Maddie since she was a little girl dancing her heart out on our TV screens – and I’m beyond blown away by the multifaceted artist she has grown into,” McKendrick said.
She added that she was excited to see Ziegler take on a role that would showcase the full range of her abilities, describing it as one that demands “every color” of her talent.
McKendrick also praised production partners Temple Hill and XYZ Films for supporting her creative vision, promising that Delulu will be her “rawest, bloodiest, most ferociously female film yet.”
With its dark exploration of internet fame, obsession and generational rivalry, Delulu is shaping up to be a bold new thriller, bringing together two generations of performers for a twisted story about the lengths people will go to for relevance and recognition.
Leave a Reply